Mopar1973Man

One thing that doesn't go any is wind drag. Just going from 55 MPH to 65 MPH your nearly doubling your wind drag. 8| So speed is the important factor behind the MPG game. So if your a high profile truck with big tires, lift kit, etc you going to have to slow down even more to reduce your drag. Like you never see race cars jaked up 3 feet off the ground... They are always slammed to the ground. So using common sense and realizing since my work and terrain requires a 4WD truck with ground clearance I know my wind drag is on the bad side. So I'm going to do everything I can do to gain... Like I got a aluminum topper weighs onlly 80 pounds! But it covers the bed and gives a better profile on the truck (reduce wind drag). Speed I normally keep down to 55 MPH. This has a second advantage. Since you are traveling slower than traffic you never have to pass any one. This is a savings too... Everytime you pass a person on the highway your losing over 0.5 to 1.0 MPG for every pass you make! There is a considerable loss to having a open bed... Just the topper can boost my MPG's up another 1-2 MPG for wind drag. But remember my topper is only 80 pounds... Fiberglass topers are much heavier and might cut the wind good but will rob you of MPG's for the weight. Tires have a huge effect on MPGs... Cooper STT 265/75 R16 (left) and Michellin's LTX 265/75 R16 (right)... The michellins are roughly 20 pounds less per tire and have lot less rolling resistance.

Don't get me wrong Keydl the weo/WMO can be used in a Cummins as long as you stick to a few rules it will consume it just fine... * WEO/WMO is filrered down to 2-5 mcirons before use. Only engine oil to be burned. Prefered only petroluem oils.*Dose doesn't exceed 5% by volume tops. (1.75 Gallons) But Cummins Centinel use ways less... I would stick to 1-2 quart tops and you would be able to burn without the loss...

This is why I've been studing fuel additives and fuel relaed stuff for over 2 years... So far I've been right on the ball with most stuff... But as for cheating the system by using waste oils just ain't going to cut it. The whole factor of BTU content, lubricity, derbris content, ash content, burn characteristics, etc are all balance and will not proform as good as good ol' #2 fuel. So it any case its a WASTEFUL practice because you going to need much more fuel...

Ahhh... I'm not much on Ford techonolgy... But I'm willing to learn... But you so right there is going to be a major mod done to your firewall to get the larger downpipe in... As for the back pressure that is rather strange... I figure a good free flowing exhaust would be better. But since you do have the variable turbo it does pose a problem...I'm not sure how they function so I'm a bit clueless there... But in any case you might have too much restriction... :confused:

Oh... I know so well how a wild fire can keep the ground hot for a very long time... :wow I've worked several forest fires... 2005 - Granite Complex (Riggins, Idaho) 2006 - Heaven's Gate Complex (Riggins, Idaho) 2007 - Poe Cabin Complex (Whitebird, Idaho)

That is a nice secret with a Cummins... When you let go of throttle all fuel is shut down completely when coasting. My ScanGauge II shows 9,999 Instant MPG. During this time the MPG avg starts climbing. Since there is no fuel its just huge air pump going down hill. so since the engine coolant can only cool to 190*F (Thermostat) then the EGT temps are going to be close to it... As for the Fords exhaust system they got a huge hang up with the down pipe off the back of the turbo. Not exactly free flowing. Now equalize the board a bit... If I toss on my Exhaust brake at about 65-70 MPH on 7% grade my pyro will jump to about 400-500*F EGT. As soon as I turn it off it falls again back down to 150-200*F... So this proves you still got exhaust restriction. There is a guy in Riggins, ID I talked to about his Ford and he ended up cutting the fire wall and installing a true 4" round downpipe. He's really happy with it over the crumby stock downpipe...

Geez... Just come to Idaho... :wow

No kidding... LOL 8| Like this last winter I was face with a few places that drifted rather well and quickly. Like the road up tyo my buddies place would drift up in a matter of a few hours and the drifts could be 4-5 foot deep. Even riding a snowmoile was rarther difficult and tricky... :rolleyes

Like I got after a guy over at TDG.com tonight... Then is engine oils are not meant to be burned really... There is other components, chemicals, etc that just don't burn right... Give you an idea... Here is a WEO/WMO heater... Brand new burner never used. 24 hours later... To clean up the mess... Now as soon as someone can find me a guy running the quarter mile, dyno, sled pull perofessionally and is doing better than #2 diesel fuel using WEO/WMO or WVO I start listening... But at this time there isn't a single professional racer/driver that is using WEO/WMO or WVO as a fuel. Maybe because its not a fuel... :confused

Dang Harry... In all cases my Edge Comp is MAX'ed out 5x5!!! Going uphill on a 7 mile long 7% grade I'm barely pulling 1,000*F EGT Going downhill on the same grade I'm barely 150*F EGT Here is some samples of speed to pyro... :wow

I'm not that dumb... LOL Or maybe... :confused: But I did tie my Dodge to a tree... I was tempting to drag the bottom out like I've done some many times in the past... But this particular day I pulled the tree over on my truck! 8| Thankfully the bulk of the tree missed the truck but the stob didn't... The fallout of limbs and debris put a tons of little dents all over the truck. But thank gawd for full coverage insurance... :thumbsup

Well the charger system is rather simple... * Batteries (storage of energy)* Alternator (charging source)* Voltage regulator (Control charging rate)So... Check to see if there is field energy. If there is no field energy the alternator will not charge. Field voltage will vary up and down to control charge rate. But there has to been voltage on the field lines. Alternator has dio packs and brushes too. I seen a few cases where diode packs have broken loose and would charge and quit. Brushes that are near there life limit could have a on/off effect too. Basically turn the field off and on randomly. Worse case would be the regulator in the PCM is acting goofy either because of bad grounds or internal problems...

We can only hope... LOL

12 cords of firewood a year... Naw! I'm not going to be swinging a splitting maul... LOL

I need to get my firewood split yet... I guess I better get busy huh... Me... I drive a truck down to the wood pile and load up... :smart

Wow! I was born and raised in California (20 years) and never had any problem with Smog checks or vehicles inspections... Now I'm Idaho I still don't have any problems. (18 years) :thumbsup

At 128:1 ratio I'm sure you meeting both standards (Gov't and Manufacture). So far I'm running close 50K miles with 2 cycle oil and no fuel system problems yet... :thumbsup

So what is the difference??? :confused: I wanna learn... :smart

Harry that is great new I'm glad to here the results of your smog test was a passing grade! I was concerned about that but I guess that proves that 2 cycle oil will not effect emissions testing! :thumbsup Thanks for the news Harry!

Your getting on track there flagman... Congrads to the 22 MPG... Now you playing in my ballpark now! :thumbsup As for me if I need really cheap I ride the GW... But if I need to take care of business (shopping, jobs, etc) I'm using my truck. It whoopin my Mom's 1996 Dodge 1500 V8 Gasser (14-15 MPG). As you can see my signature I've really got it kicked up and figured out the science behing good MPG's... ;)

I would check from the back of the alternator to the batteries for bad wiring and bad connections. I've seen voltage drops as high as 2 Volts from the alternator to the battery because of bad wiring.Keydl is right on the money about the PCM controlling the alternator. But the alternator also has carbon brushes for the field that wear out over time and might need to be replaced. LOTS cheaper than buying a new alternator... You need to check to see if the field is functional and had flow of current... If the field is open circuit there is NO CHARGE! You could pull it off and have it bench tested too...

I have a hunch... I think the Dodge / Cummins ECM/PCM's tend to learn from there environments. So if you tow on a normal basis and then pull the trailer off you tend to see a change in MPG's (usually down). Like me during my wood hauling times I see a decline on the first run but after that is starts to rise again... Bu then when I throw the topper back on... It slumps again... Then rises back up in the low 20's... Like today the weather got cold! down to 55-58*F from a high of 110-115*F and I can't get above 19 MPG to save my life... I contribute this to the change of condition and what the ECM/PCM was working for a average... This is just a theory but it does kind of fit... :confused:

I see I got you mind a thinking now too...Like My Mom's 1996 Dodge 1500 - 5.9L Gasser / Auto Trans (Short Box) weighs in at 5,500 pounds full of fuel. My truck broke down in weights...Front axle - 4,440 PoundsRear Axle - 2,860 PoundsTotal GVW - 7,300 PoundsGVWR - 8,800 MAX pounds...I'm sure the pic above is well over that... 8| ;)

Ok... > On the scales empty but with a full tank of fuel... I'm 7,300# pounds... I still can pull good 19-20 MPG with a full load of fire wood... 8| I'm up for a good challenge! LOL

My last trip from Missoula, MT to home (New Meadows, ID) The map of the trip... http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Missoul ... ows+&2s=ID Catch me if you can... LOL